Signal Analyzer for Wireless Network Parent Node Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network protocols face challenges in efficiently establishing and maintaining network connections between nodes due to variations in signal strength and beacon reception, leading to potential selection of suboptimal parent nodes and increased resynchronization attempts.
Innovation Solution
A network node employs a signal analyzer to select a parent node based on received signal strength and the number of beacons over a given time period, using modified RSSI calculations to prioritize nodes with stronger signal quality and fewer lost beacons, and a synchronizer to manage synchronization requests based on keep alive frames and beacon thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a network node selects a parent node based on simple beacon reception criteria, then the connection establishment is fast and simple, but the selected parent node may be suboptimal leading to poor signal quality and increased resynchronization attempts
Solution Approach 1:
The network node performs preliminary signal strength analysis and beacon reception counting during the parent node selection phase before establishing the connection. By evaluating multiple candidate parent nodes based on received signal strength indicators (RSSI) and beacon reception metrics in advance, the node selects the optimal parent node that minimizes future resynchronization needs, thus improving connection reliability without requiring complex real-time adjustments later
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the network node continuously monitors beacon reception status and signal strength from potential parent nodes. This feedback information is used to dynamically adjust parent node selection criteria and trigger resynchronization only when necessary thresholds are exceeded, balancing connection reliability with operational simplicity
2Reliability
If the network node frequently initiates resynchronization requests to maintain connection quality, then the connection reliability is improved, but the network overhead and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuously resynchronizing or resynchronizing at every threshold violation, the system applies a hysteresis mechanism where resynchronization is triggered only after beacon loss or synchronization failure persists for a predetermined number of consecutive failures. This partial action approach avoids excessive resynchronization requests while maintaining adequate connection reliability by acting only when truly necessary
Solution Approach 2:
The network node pre-configures threshold values and hysteresis parameters that prevent unnecessary resynchronization requests in the first place. By establishing these preliminary criteria, the system avoids the harmful action of excessive resynchronization that would waste energy, while still maintaining reliability through proactive threshold-based monitoring
Data Source
AI summary
A network includes a plurality of parent nodes to communicate in a wireless network via a wireless network protocol. A network node establishes a network connection to one of the parent nodes of the plurality of parent nodes in response to received beacons from the parent nodes. A signal analyzer in the network node processes a received signal strength of the beacons and the number of beacons received over a given time period from each of the parent nodes. The signal analyzer selects the parent node by analyzing the received signal strength for a number of beacons received from each parent node with respect to a number of expected beacons transmitted from each parent node of the plurality of parent nodes over the given time period.